Shoes: The Hunt Begins

When I think of shoes, I think of many things:

YouTube videos:
"Ohmygod, shoes."

"Shoes; I couldn't stop thinking about them."- I kept thinking about the "Ultimate Dog Teaser" video that went viral a few months ago on YouTube. I couldn't stop laughing at it the first time I saw it, and I swear I laughed so hard my sides were hurting.  I must have watched it 10 times first time I saw it (obviously, I had to share it with my friends), and occasionally I find myself tempted to look at it again, just for the comic relief.

Quotes from In Her Shoes (thank you IMBD for the reference)
Maggie Feller: Shoes like these should not be locked in a closet! They should be living a life of scandal, and pasion and getting screwed in an alleyway by a billionaire while his frigid wife waits in the limo thinking that he just went back into the bar to get his cellphone. These are cute too.
Rose Feller: Please tell me you just made that up.
Maggie Feller: Look, if you're not going to wear them... don't buy them! Leave them for someone who's going to get something out of them.
Rose Feller: I get something out of them! When I feel bad I like to treat myself. Clothes never look any good... food just makes me fatter... shoes always fit.

The rush I get when I walk into a shoe warehouse like DSW and the smell of new shoes surrounds me, and I find myself wanting to try on everything- including shoes I would never consider wearing or would ever wear, but want to own just for the sake of owning. this usually includes shoes with some sort of animal print, formal shoes, and to-the-knee boots (you may know them by their other, less blog appropriate name "f*** me boots"). Whew, that felt good.


Now, I don't know how most people are, but I am a woman who loves my shoes. When I was in college, I was passionate about pink.  Pink makes my skin look fresher and clear, and it, as my grand-step mom Marion would say "It goes with everything." So, when I graduated, I wore a pink floral dress that had just a little bit of pink tulle under the skirt and the most magnificent, perfectly pink suede shoes.  The toe was pointed and the heel was about 2" high.  They made my feet look a little less hobbit-ish and my legs look a little longer. They looked great with everything- dresses, jeans, slacks (navy and black). I quite honestly think they were made for me.  In one word they were STELLAR. I will never forget them (RIP perfectly pink shoes). I wore those shoes through graduation, through the rain, to meetings, to bars, on dates and job interviews.  I wore them till they wore out, and when they did I packed them into a shoe box and said goodbye. I didn't know at the time that I probably would never find another pair of shoes quite like that and it may seem silly, but I have been on the hunt for another perfect pair of shoes since 2010, only this time my criteria has changed.

When it comes down to it, all I want to do for this post is talk about buying a pair of shoes that won't destroy my feet and cause me to spin into a Fibro flare. When I was younger, I never thought about how my shoes would impact the rest of my body, with the exception of whether or not the shoe just didn't fit- literally (and I guess figuratively too). 

Now that I've become more Fibro conscious, I am very particular about my wardrobe, especially when it comes to my feet.  For the last couple of years, I've primarily purchased flats and wedges for work. I've found these styles to sort of work for me, but they are always the best. Flats tend to cause pain in my heels and arches.  Wedges work well, but the balls of my feet can hurt and I find my legs get tired a lot faster (again, I try not to exceed 2" and never anything more than 3").  I also usually wear comfortable and sensible shoes into work, and then change at the beginning and end of each day.

Currently, I have a pair of gray wool blend wedges for the fall/winter, a pair of black patent flats for anytime (both from Payless), and a recently purchased but not yet worn pair of black patent wedges with a black and white patent bow I bought from TJMaxx (I think they are by Etienne Aigner).  I also have a pair of suede platform heels (3") that I wear for weddings.  When it comes to actually wearing anything with a heel, I get a little nervous for 2 reasons (and the first is ridiculous). 1) I am so self conscious about my weight and body that my wardrobe is limited.  I don't wear a lot of skirts and dresses, as much as I love them, and I usually wear darker colors to hide the 40 pounds I've put on since my diagnosis (I'm only 5'3", so any weight gain shows). 2) I'm nervous about the effect the types of shoes I wear will have on my feet and my overall level of pain.  Because of these reason, I usually stick to what's safe and affordable. Well, too bad so sad for me- this isn't working anymore and I'm going to have to branch out. Weekends, I still plan on sticking to my tennies, birks, and TOMS (unless attending a formal event).

So, I am on a mission: to find the perfect pair of shoes.
Here is my criteria:

1. Comfort- I have to be able to walk
2. Style- Following Marion's golden rule, it will need to go with everything (nude, black, gray or navy)
3. Style 2- They should be age appropriate- not too old and not too young. I know I have pain issues, but for Pete's sake, I don't want to wear a pair of shoes that look like I bought them off an old lady (no offense old ladies, I love ya, but I'm not there yet).
4. Comfort 2- I need shoes that will support my high arches and that won't pinch.